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Congressional Committees Direct Continued Funding for VOA Tibetan Radio

31.05.2012

VOA Tibetan

Master of ceremonies for the Voice of America's Tibetan language service Tenzin Lhundup, left, and Tseten Cho Don broadcast in the Tibetan language in the VOA studios in Washington Thursday, March 22, 2001 in Washington. (AP Photo/Joe Marquette)

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Congressional Committees Direct Continued Funding for VOA Tibetan Radio

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The House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee approved its version of the Fiscal Year 2013 State-Foreign Operations Appropriations bill that supported continued funding for VOA Tibetan radio.The Broadcasting Board of Governors (BBG), the federal agency in charge of government-funded foreign broadcasting proposed cutting of VOA Tibetan shortwave radio February last year. BBG's proposal to shut down VOA Tibetan radio came under heavy criticism by House and Senate members as well as different groups and individuals.

International Campaign for Tibet on its website said the Congressional committees rejected BBG's plans to cut VOA Tibetan radio and directed continued funding for VOA Tibetan radio.

"The House bill rejected this approach by directing continued funding and broadcast hours for the Tibetan language services at the current levels. The Senate Committee also rejected the cut, and expressed concern that the cuts to East Asia broadcasting were not aligned with foreign policy priorities, referencing the Obama Administration’s “pivot toward Asia.”"

On April 20, the BBG announced a “renewed strategy” that eliminated its proposed cut of Voice of America Tibetan radio.